Century 21 Real Estate

Century 21 Real Estate Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Century 21 Real Estate is a global real estate franchise known for its extensive network of agents and comprehensive services, providing clients with expert guidance and support throughout the buying, selling, or renting process.

Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a globally recognized residential and commercial real estate franchise. It was founded in 1971 in Santa Ana, California, by Art Bartlett and Marsh Fisher.

Today, the company is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey. Century 21 began franchising shortly after its founding and experienced rapid growth throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

The brand now operates in more than 86 countries, with approximately 14,250 independently owned and operated offices and over 147,000 affiliated sales professionals. It provides real estate brokerage services, including residential, luxury, commercial, and international property transactions.

Initial investment

Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Type of Expenditure Amount
Facility and Space Planning$9,000 – $17,500
Security and Other Deposits$7,500 – $17,700
Furnishings and Communications Equipment$27,000 – $87,500
Prepaid Business Expenses$3,000 – $4,600
Additional Funds (first 3 months after opening)$35,000 – $60,000
Total Additional Investment for New Start-Up Office$81,500 – $187,300
Total Initial Investment for Conversion Office$34,670 – $279,000
Total Investment for New Start-Up Office$116,170 – $466,300
Type of Expenditure Amount
Facility and Space Planning$9,000 – $17,500
Security and Other Deposits$7,500 – $17,700
Furnishings and Communications Equipment$27,000 – $87,500
Prepaid Business Expenses$3,000 – $4,600
Additional Funds (first 3 months after opening)$35,000 – $60,000
Total Additional Investment for New Start-Up Office$81,500 – $187,300
Total Initial Investment for Conversion Office$34,670 – $279,000
Total Investment for New Start-Up Office$116,170 – $466,300

Franchise Disclosure Document

Number of units

Training

Century 21 provides several structured training opportunities to help franchisees successfully operate their offices and integrate into the CENTURY 21® System.

  1. Initial Training (International Leadership Academy - ILA)
    Attendance at the ILA program is mandatory for all new franchisees opening their first CENTURY 21® office. It must be completed within 24 months of the office’s opening date, and can be attended by either the franchisee or an approved designee.
  2. Training for Transferred or Branch Offices
    Franchisees acquiring offices through assignment/transfer or opening branch offices must bear the cost of attending the ILA program. While ILA is not required for branch office purchases, it is highly encouraged.
  3. Continuing Assistance and Education
    CENTURY 21 provides ongoing updates, improvements, and changes through bulletins, electronic communication, phone consultations, or in-person visits. They also offer optional educational seminars, conferences, and online courses, which may incur fees and require the franchisee to cover travel and related expenses.

Territory Protection

Century 21 grants a limited territory protection to franchisees, specifically a "protected area" defined as a ¼-mile radius from the franchisee's office location. This protection means no other Century 21 franchisee will be granted a location within that radius.

However, this does not prevent other franchisees from seeking clients or listings in the same market, nor does it stop Century 21 from using alternative sales channels like the internet.

Although the franchisee has a localized area where no other physical franchise can be opened, the protection is not absolute. Century 21 reserves the right to allow other franchisees or company-owned operations to compete within the broader area outside the protected radius.

Competitors

Below are some of

Century 21 Real Estate

key competitors in the

Broker/Realtor

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
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Gross Profit
Upgrade
EBITDA
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1734

New
+
-7%
-7%

$25,000

$116,000

$466,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

Competitors

Windermere Real Estate

Windermere Real Estate is a real-estate brokerage franchise offering home-buying, selling and leasing services across multiple states, serving agents and clients, and known for community-centred culture, advanced marketing tools and proven franchise systems.

Franchisees

?

299
+
-1%
-1%
Investment

?

$271,000 - $1,171,000

Intero Real Estate Services

Intero Real Estate Services is a real-estate brokerage franchise offering full-service buying, selling and leasing of homes and commercial properties, serving agents and clients, and known for strong training, agent-centric model and technology-enabled branding.

Franchisees

?

29
+
-19%
-19%
Investment

?

$210,000 - $855,000

Valbridge

Valbridge is a valuation-services franchise offering real-estate appraisal, review and consulting services for commercial and residential markets, serving lenders, brokers and property-owners, and known for national network, compliance focus and high-quality data standards.

Franchisees

?

0
+
-100%
-100%
Investment

?

$70,000 - $164,000

Harcourts

Harcourts is a real-estate brokerage franchise offering residential and commercial brokerage services, serving property buyers, sellers and agents, and known for innovative tools, global network backing and culture focused on growth and professionalism.

Franchisees

?

24
+
20%
20%
Investment

?

$151,000 - $360,000

Iron Valley

Iron Valley Real Estate is a real estate franchise offering brokerage services and agent support systems, serving buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals, and known for its agent-centric commission model, low startup costs, and modern technology.

Franchisees

?

44
+
47%
47%
Investment

?

$59,000 - $207,000

Watters International Realty

Watters International Realty is a real estate franchise offering comprehensive services for buying and selling homes, known for its innovative marketing strategies and client-focused approach.

Franchisees

?

10
+
0%
0%
Investment

?

$49,000 - $201,000